Coney Island - Timeline

Revised 11/15/97

1960

1961

1962

1963

A fire broke out in an unoccupied pizza restaurant east of Steeplechase on
August 28th at 8 P.M. and was fought by 35 fire companies with 75 pieces of
equipment. Before it was contained at 9:45 P.M. six amusement places
including the Ravenhall and Washington Baths were burned in the area between
W. 19th and W 21st. Steeplechase's roller coaster and other buildings were
hosed down by its employees to prevent its spread.

Astroland amusement park opens on the old Feltman property at W. 10th Avenue
between Surf Avenue and the Boardwalk.

1964

Coney Island experiences the worst season in a quarter of a century. Fear,
not the World's Fair, was cited as the reason by concessionaires who reported
business drops of 30-90% from the previous year. They attributed the decline
in the following order.

1) Influx of Negroes who made up half of the visitors, but discourage the
attendance of white people.

2) Unsafe subways.

3) Teenage hoodlums. It was home turf for the city's teenage gangs.

4) Bad weather - rainy weekends (it snowed Easter weekend).

5) Inadequate parking.

6) World's Fair.

Steeplechase Park closes permanently on September 20th.

1965

Steeplechase Park , a 12.5 acre site, sold to Fred C. Trump, a real estate
developer, for more than $2,500,000.

1966

When 4000 teenage youths riot on Memorial Day, many concessionaires were
forced to close before midnight. Many of the teens, who came by bus from
Trenton, Baltimore and Philadelphia, were drunk.

1967

1968

1969

New York City buys the Steeplechase Park acreage for $4,000,000 for a possible
proposed park.

1970

1971

1972

Estimate Board enacts zoning change barring further residential development
in an attempt to revive beachfront as a prime amusement and recreation area.

1973

1974

1975

N. Y. Aquarium wanted to tear down the adjacent Cyclone roller coaster. The
coaster is saved when Dewey Albert signs lease to run it for $54,000 yearly
rent.

15 year old Bienviendo Morales was killed on a Ferris wheel when he opened the
door of the car and had his head caught between a steel suspension bar and
car door.

Note: The New York Times article does not give the ride location. The
lack of other Ferris wheels and the description of the word "door" leads me
to believe it was on the Wonder Wheel. Readers who have access to other
newspapers on microfilm might wish to look it up (late July - like 27th?)

Michael Boodley, age 17, on August 14th completed his 1000th circuit on the
Cyclone roller coaster. He set a mark of 606 miles in 36 hours.

1976

1977

The Landmarks Commission on July 10th voted to make the Parachute Jump tower
a historic landmark.

Fire damages the Tornado roller coaster on December 10th.

1978

1979

1995

Fourteen people were injured and hospitalized while riding the Hell Hole on
Saturday night July 29, 1995. The rotor ride, where the floor drops out as
people are stuck to the spinning walls by centrifugal force, experienced metal
fatigue and a section of the ride collapsed. Passengers inside suddenly heard
a woman outside scream, "Stop the ride!" as chaos ensured around them. One
woman, Lourdes Gonzolas, nearly lost her leg after it was cut open to the
bone. The ride was permanently closed.